The present invention relates to a disk cartridge in which a disk-like recording medium such as an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk and a magnetic disk is accommodated within a disk compartment of a cartridge housing, a disk recording medium device in which the disk-like recording medium is accommodated in advance within the disk compartment so as to become freely rotatable and a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus for recording and/or reproducing information by using this disk recording medium device.A disk cartridge according to the present invention comprises a cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed by combining an upper shell and a lower shell and in which an opening portion is formed on the lower shell and the like and a pair of shutter members provided on the cartridge housing so as to become movable between the opening position at which the opening portion is opened and the closing position at which the opening portion is closed and which has joint portions that are joined to each other at the closing position, wherein a rectangular groove portion and a rib portion that can be engaged with each other are provided on each joint portion of a pair of shutter members over approximately the total length of the joint portion.According to the present invention, a dust-proof property of the joint portions, which are joined to each other, of a pair of shutter members can be enhanced. Thus, it is possible to provide the disk cartridge, the disk recording medium device and the disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus in which dusts, smudges and so on are difficult to enter the disk compartment.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A disk cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed by combining an upper shell and a lower shell and in which an opening portion is provided on at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell; and a pair of shutter members provided on said cartridge housing so as to become movable between the opening position at which said opening portion is opened and the closing position at which said opening portion is closed and which has joint portions joined to each other at said closing position, wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members has a central step portion that separates concave and convex portions, which can be engaged with each other, formed over substantially the total length of said joint portion; and wherein each said joint portion includes a guide convex portion located away from the central step portion to enable the concave and convex portions to be engaged with each other at said closing position.
2. A disk cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of one shutter member of said pair of shutter members is a rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape.
3. A disk cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of a rectangular groove of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is comprised of a combination of a rib portion and a rectangular groove portion corresponding to said rectangular groove portion and said rib portion of said one shutter member and which can be engaged with each other.
4. A disk cartridge according to claim 1 , wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape that can be engaged with each other.
5. A disk cartridge, comprising: a cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed between an upper shell and a rotary member or between said rotary member and a lower shell by combining said upper shell, said rotary member and said lower shell, said rotary member supported by at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to become freely rotatable and in which an opening portion is provided on at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell or at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell and said rotary member; and a pair of shutter members provided on said cartridge housing so as to become movable between the opening position at which said opening portion is opened and the closing position at which said opening portion is closed in response to rotation of said rotary member and which has joint portions that are joined to each other at said closing position, wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members has a central step portion that separates concave and convex portions, which can be engaged with each other, formed over substantially the total length of said joint portion; and wherein each said joint portion includes a guide convex portion located away from the central step portion to enable the concave and convex portions to be engaged with each other at said closing position.
6. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of one shutter member of said pair of shutter members is a rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape.
7. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of a rectangular groove of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is comprised of a combination of a rib portion and a rectangular groove portion corresponding to said rectangular groove portion and said rib portion of said one shutter member and which can be engaged with each other.
8. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape that can be engaged with each other.
9. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
10. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
11. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members and is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to become slidable at supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
12. A disk cartridge according to claim 5 , wherein said pair of shutter members are formed of approximately semicircular plate materials and said pair of shutter members are disposed on one surface side of at least said rotary member, said upper shell and said lower shell having said opening portion so as to oppose to each other across said opening portion.
13. A disk cartridge according to claim 12 , wherein said pair of shutter members are supported at one side portion of a chord side of each shutter member to said rotary member so as to become freely rotatable and an operation convex portion provided on said lower shell or said upper shell is slidably engaged with an opening and closing groove provided on said shutter member.
14. A disk cartridge according to claim 13 , wherein said concave and convex portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a rectangular groove portion provided at approximately half of said support side of one side portion of said chord side and a rib portion provided at approximately half of a tip end side of one side portion of said chord side.
15. A disk recording medium device, comprising: a cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed by combining an upper shell and a lower shell and in which an opening portion is provided on at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell; a disk-like recording medium accommodated within said disk compartment so as to become freely rotatable; and a pair of shutter members provided on said cartridge housing so as to become movable between the opening position at which said opening portion is opened and the closing position at which said opening portion is closed and which has joint portions joined to each other at said closing position, wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members has a central step portion that separates concave and convex portions, which can be engaged with each other, formed over substantially the total length of said joint portion; and wherein each said joint portion includes a guide convex portion located away from the central step portion to enable the concave and convex portions to be engaged with each other at said closing position.
16. A disk recording medium device according to claim 15 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of one shutter member of said pair of shutter members is a rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape.
17. A disk recording medium device according to claim 15 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of a rectangular groove of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is comprised of a combination of a rib portion and a rectangular groove portion corresponding to said rectangular groove portion and said rib portion of said one shutter member.
18. A disk recording medium device according to claim 15 , wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape that can be engaged with each other.
19. A disk recording medium device, comprising: a cartridge housing in which a disk compartment is formed between an upper shell and a rotary member or between said rotary member and a lower shell by combining said upper shell, said rotary member and said lower shell, said rotary member supported by at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to become freely rotatable and in which an opening portion is provided on at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell or at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell and said rotary member; a disk-like recording medium accommodated within said disk compartment so as to become freely rotatable; and a pair of shutter members provided on said cartridge housing so as to become movable between the opening position at which said opening portion is opened and the closing position at which said opening portion is closed in response to rotation of said rotary member and which has joint portions that are joined to each other at said closing position, wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members has a central step portion that separates concave and convex portions, which can be engaged with each other, formed over substantially the total length of said joint portion; and wherein each said joint portion includes a guide convex portion located away from the central step portion to enable the concave and convex portions to be engaged with each other at said closing position.
20. A disk cartridge according to claim 19 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of one shutter member of said pair of shutter members is a rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape.
21. A disk cartridge according to claim 19 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of a rectangular groove of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is comprised of a combination of a rib portion and a rectangular groove portion corresponding to said rectangular groove portion and said rib portion of said one shutter member and which can be engaged with each other.
22. A disk recording medium device according to claim 19 , wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape that can be engaged with each other.
23. A disk recording medium device according to claim 19 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
24. A disk recording medium device according to claim 19 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
25. A disk recording medium device according to claim 19 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members and is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to become slidable at supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
26. A disk recording medium device according to claim 19 , wherein said pair of shutter members is formed of approximately semicircular plate material and said pair of shutter members is disposed on one surface side of at least said rotary member, said upper shell and said lower shell having said opening portion so as to oppose to each other across said opening portion.
27. A disk recording medium device according to claim 26 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported at one side portion of a chord side of each shutter member to said rotary member so as to become freely rotatable and an operation convex portion provided on said lower shell or said upper shell is slidably engaged with an opening and closing groove provided on said shutter member.
28. A disk recording medium device according to claim 27 , wherein said concave and convex portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a rectangular groove portion provided at approximately half of said support side of one side portion of said chord side and a rib portion provided at approximately half of a tip end side of one side portion of said chord side.
29. In a disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus comprising: a disk recording medium device in which a disk-like recording medium is accommodated within a cartridge housing so as to become freely rotatable and in which an opening portion provided on said cartridge housing so as to expose a part of said disk-like recording medium is freely opened and closed by a pair of shutter members: a shutter opening and closing means for opening and closing said opening portion by moving said pair of shutter members in response to insertion and eject operations of said disk recording medium device; and a table drive apparatus to which said disk recording medium device is loaded detachably and which is inserted into said opening portion opened by said opening and closing means to chuck and rotate said disk-like recording medium when said disk recording medium device is loaded, wherein a cartridge housing is formed by combining an upper shell or a lower shell or said upper shell, a rotary member and a lower shell and a disk compartment is formed between said upper shell and said lower shell or between said upper shell and said rotary member or between said rotary member and said lower shell and each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members has a central step portion that separates concave and convex portions, which can be engaged with each other, formed over substantially the total length of said joint portion; and wherein each said joint portion includes a guide convex portion located away from the central step portion to enable the concave and convex portions to be engaged with each other at a closing position.
30. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of one shutter member of said pair of shutter members is a rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape.
31. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of a rectangular groove of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape and a rib portion of wedge-like shape or square-like shape and said concave and convex portion provided on the joint portion of the other shutter member is comprised of a combination of a rib portion and a rectangular groove portion corresponding to said rectangular groove portion and said rib portion of said one shutter member and which can be engaged with each other.
32. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein each said joint portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a combination of rectangular groove portion of V-like groove shape or square groove-like shape that can be engaged with each other.
33. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
34. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
35. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported to said rotary member so as to freely rotate about supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members and is supported to at least one of said upper shell and said lower shell so as to become slidable at supporting points corresponding to the respective shutter members.
36. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said pair of shutter members is formed of approximately semicircular plate material and said pair of shutter members is disposed on one surface side of at least said rotary member, said upper shell and said lower shell having said opening portion so as to oppose to each other across said opening portion.
37. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 36 , wherein said pair of shutter members is supported at one side portion of a chord side of each shutter member to said rotary member so as to become freely rotatable and an operation convex portion provided on said lower shell or said upper shell is slidably engaged with an opening and closing groove provided on said shutter member.
38. A disk recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 37 , wherein said concave and convex portion of said pair of shutter members is comprised of a rectangular groove portion provided at approximately half of said support side of one side portion of said chord side and a rib portion provided at approximately half of a tip end side of one side portion of said chord side.
39. A recording and/or reproducing apparatus according to claim 29 , wherein said shutter opening and closing means includes a rack portion and convex portions disposed ahead of and behind said rack portion, said rotary member includes a gear portion meshed with said rack portion and concave portions disposed ahead of and behind said gear portion and said rotary member is caused to rotate based upon movement of said shutter opening and closing means.
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September 5, 2002
October 16, 2007
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